Team & Advisors

Advisor

Kiran Rao

Writer / Director / Producer

A Mumbai-based director, producer, and writer known for intimate, distinctive storytelling. She began her career as an assistant director on Lagaan and Monsoon Wedding. Her directorial debut, Dhobi Ghat, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Laapataa Ladies was India’s official entry to the 97th Academy Awards. Her producing credits include Peepli Live, Delhi Belly, Dangal, and Secret Superstar. She also co-founded the Paani Foundation, which works with Maharashtra’s farmers on drought prevention and sustainable agriculture.

Advisor

Vikramaditya Motwane

Writer / Director

An award-winning Indian filmmaker whose debut film, Udaan, premiered at Cannes 2010 in the Un Certain Regard section. He has directed critically acclaimed films including Lootera, Trapped, AK vs AK, CTRL, Jubilee, and Black Warrant, and was showrunner of Sacred Games, Netflix's first Indian original series. As a former partner at Phantom Films, he produced Queen, Masaan, and Udta Punjab. He founded Andolan Films in 2018 and is currently directing the sports drama Dada.

Advisor

Hansal Mehta

Film Director

One of India’s most acclaimed filmmakers, known for Shahid, Aligarh, Scam 1992, Citylights, and Omertà. His work explores complex social and political realities with empathy, nuance, and authenticity. With films premiering at leading international festivals including TIFF and the BFI London Film Festival, and a National Award for Best Direction, his storytelling continues to spark meaningful conversations in India and around the world.

Advisor

Richie Mehta

Writer / Director

An internationally celebrated filmmaker whose work shines a light on some of society’s most urgent issues. Creator of the Emmy-winning Delhi Crime and the acclaimed wildlife-crime series Poacher, he is known for combining compelling storytelling with rigorous research. His body of work also includes award-winning films such as Siddharth and Amal, which received recognition at major international festivals and brought important human stories to global audiences.

Advisor

Pan Nalin

Writer / Director / Producer

An Academy member and globally recognised filmmaker whose stories have reached audiences in over 100 countries. Best known for Last Film Show, India’s Oscar-shortlisted entry, as well as celebrated films like Samsara and Angry Indian Goddesses, his work blends emotional depth with striking visual storytelling. With selections at renowned festivals including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, and Tribeca, he has earned widespread international acclaim and numerous global awards.

Advisor

Sumit Roy

Screenwriter & Filmmaker

A storyteller known for powering several beloved prestige productions, he possesses the rare ability to infuse popular cinema with intellectual depth, nuance and a social conscience. His films include Gehraiyaan, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and Homebound.

Advisor

Mirik Gogri

Head of Corporate Strategy, Aarti Industries & Principal at Spectrum Impact

A business leader driving innovation and climate action across industry, research, and philanthropy. At Aarti Industries, he has helped strengthen one of India’s leading R&D ecosystems, while through Spectrum Impact he supports climate-focused organisations working on solutions ranging from green hydrogen and carbon capture to circular materials. He also leads initiatives such as SCALE and ITRI, advancing collaboration, research, and real-world impact for a more sustainable future.

Advisor

Lucy Stone

Founder & Executive Director at Climate Spring

Founder of Climate Spring, a global organisation supporting storytelling that reshapes how society understands the climate crisis. A leading expert in narrative change, she works across philanthropy, social enterprise, and international development, bringing together creators, funders, and institutions to accelerate climate action. Her work has also included advising governments and UN organisations on driving impact through storytelling and innovation.

Advisor

Abha Thorat Shah

Director – Global Engagements, The Convergence Foundation

A strategic leader in philanthropy and international development with over two decades of experience across India, South Asia, and the UK. Currently leading global partnerships and fundraising at The Convergence Foundation, she has also played key roles at the British Asian Trust and the UK India Business Council, helping advance innovative approaches to social impact. Drawn to the question of how narratives shape behaviour and systems, she shares Civic Studios’ belief that research-backed storytelling can be as powerful a catalyst for change as policy or programmes.

Advisor

Janak Padhiar

Digital Technology and Creative Leader

A venture innovation and investment strategist focused on the frontiers of technology, culture and human progress. He develops investment theses and philanthropic strategies across climate, culture, life sciences, AI, and beyond. He is an External Advisor to BCG on AI ecosystems, an AI & Robotics Mentor for Google for Startups / Google DeepMind, and served as a Global Inclusivity Advisory Board Member at Soho House & Co (currently a Committee Member), and a Judge for Conduit Connect’s EIS Impact Fund and Innovation Awards (Climate). He holds a DPhil in Geography & the Environment from the University of Oxford.

Team

Anushka Shah

Founder & CEO

Anushka Shah works at the intersection of media, technology and civic engagement, drawing on cross-sector experience in media production, AI/ML research, political and grassroots non-profit work, and philanthropy. She incubated Civic Studios at the MIT Media Lab and has a producing slate that includes feature films, streaming series and digital content, with themes spanning democracy, gender and immigration, and climate action. She has an academic background in economics, politics and applied statistics, with a thesis on NLP and unsupervised learning, and spent four years at the MIT Media Lab’s Center for Civic Media. She has written for and spoken with outlets including the Washington Post, NPR and The Huffington Post, speaks regularly on industry panels, and sits on the boards of several youth media organisations.

Team

Namrata Sharma

Chief Operating Officer

Namrata Sharma is Chief Operating Officer at Civic Studios. With 15+ years of experience in international development across South Asia and Africa, Namrata works at the intersection of gender, education and behaviour change media. At Civic Studios, she works with internal and external stakeholders to achieve company goals, while strengthening systems that enable entertainment for social change to remain at the core of all our work. Previously, Namrata served as a Senior Advisor for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) at BBC Media Action. She holds an MA in Education, Gender and International Development from UCL. Outside work, she enjoys exploring bookstores and telling true stories on stage.

namrata.sharma@civicstudios.com

Team

Akshada Bhalerao

Director of Business & Partnerships

Akshada brings a robust, 15+ year track record in the content business to her role as Director of Business & Partnerships at Civic Studios - having worked with reputed names like Walt Disney, Applause, MX Player, Pocket Aces, and Viu along the way. She's built a reputation for fostering partnerships that get impactful stories made. When she's off the clock, she's usually planning her next trip, cooking, or catching up on a good book.

akshada.bhalerao@civicstudios.com

Team

Akshata Samant

Director of Creative Development

With 15 years of a career built on influential roles and successful projects across media and entertainment, Akshata is instrumental in shaping the strategic creative vision, curation, and execution of Civic Studios' slate. She leads the team of creative producers, ensuring projects have strong storytelling, impact, and commercial viability. Balancing creative excellence with robust operational management, Akshata bridges high-level studio strategy with hands-on project execution. She's clear about what drives her—producing meaningful work, and having fun doing it.

akshata.samant@civicstudios.com

Team

Nishkal Vaidya

Director of People & Culture

Nishkal Vaidya is Director of People & Culture at Civic Studios, bringing over two decades of experience in Human Resources, largely across the media and entertainment industry. Having worked with organisations including GEON Studios, Ultra Media & Entertainment, exchange4media, and EORTV, he has extensive experience in building teams, shaping workplace culture, and driving people-focused initiatives. At Civic Studios, he leads people strategy and organisational development across India and the UK, with a focus on creating an inclusive, collaborative, and engaging workplace where people can thrive. An avid sports enthusiast, Nishkal has been a National level volleyball player and continues to bring his passion for team work into everything he does.

Team

Ammaar Rizvi

Senior Associate – Administration & Operations

Long before Civic Studios, Ammaar was the person making sure the show went on, whether it was a film festival, a shoot, a live event, or a wedding. Nine years and a lot of calm problem-solving later, he’s channelling that same energy into Administration & Operations. His journey started at the Navi Mumbai International Film Festival and has included MTV’s Unacademy Unwind, TED Talks India Nayi Baat, Social Currency, and a few sketch videos for Pocket Change along the way. When he’s off the clock, he’s with his family.

ammaar.rizvi@civicstudios.com

Team

Hasri Hemnani

Senior Creative Associate

Hasri Hemnani is a Senior Creative Associate at Civic Studios, with 7 years of experience in the Media & Entertainment industry. She has worked as a director’s assistant, script supervisor, and screenwriter on projects including Conditions Apply and Good Morning (Amazon miniTV), Jubin Nautiyal’s Tum Aye Ho Toh (YouTube), and Bad Cop (Hotstar). Her heart lies at the intersection of storytelling and community building, and she is deeply passionate about mental and emotional health awareness, and climate action.

hasri.hemnani@civicstudios.com

Team

Hrushikesh Patil

Senior Climate Communications and Research Associate

Hrushikesh is a Senior Climate Communications and Research Associate at Civic Studios with 5+ years of experience across journalism, law, and climate storytelling. He has previously worked as an independent journalist and environmental lawyer with the Goa Foundation and was awarded the Chevening Scholarship to pursue an MSc in Environment and Development at LSE (2024–25). A multiple Laadli Award winner and CANSA-QOC climate reporting fellow, he has written extensively on the impact of heatwaves on vulnerable communities. Outside work, he enjoys theatre, Marathi fiction, football, and swimming in rivers across the Western Ghats with his dog.

hrushikesh.patil@civicstudios.com

Team

Iti Bhimra

Senior Marketing Associate

Iti is a Senior Marketing Associate at Civic Studios, bringing over 3 years of experience in Integrated Marketing and PR across entertainment and lifestyle brands like Lionsgate, Spotify and Crocs. She also led the homegrown Indie beauty brand Ziji Skin, where her role spanned social media, community events, brand building and more. With a passion for pop-culture, entertainment and music, she believes in adding a splash of creativity to everything. Outside work, Iti enjoys good food, working out and travelling.

iti.bhimra@civicstudios.com

Team

Jayesh Jagtap

Senior Accounts Executive

Jayesh keeps Civic Studios' books airtight - a skill honed managing finance and accounts for Vidhu Vinod Chopra Films before he joined the studio. Taxation, compliance, and the unglamorous-but-essential parts of running a media company are his territory. Outside the ledger, he's serious about health and fitness.

accounts@civicstudios.com

Team

Kashmira Patil

Senior Creative Producer

Kashmira has spent 8+ years turning social issues into stories people actually want to watch - directing and producing projects like Ye Saali Naukri (MX Player), Family Aaj Kal (SonyLIV), the award-winning Hum Log campaign with Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, and most recently Civic Studios' own Scam City, a micro-drama series on modern slavery & digital frauds. Her range spans series, documentaries, ads, and music videos, but the throughline is always the same belief: stories can genuinely move people and communities.

kashmira.patil@civicstudios.com

Team

Mahvash Limbuvala

Marketing Manager

Mahvash is Marketing Manager at Civic Studios, she manages project release campaigns and PR across the studio’s growing and climate-focused slate. With 7+ years across T-Series, RSVP, Zee Studios, and Amazon Prime Video, she’s worked across everything from photoshoots and digital campaigns to PR and influencer collaborations. When she’s not at her desk, she’s usually chasing new places, local food, and the culture that comes with them.

mahvash.limbuvala@civicstudios.com

Team

Mayurpankhi Choudhury

Research Associate

Mayurpankhi is a Research Associate at Civic Studios. With around 4 years of experience at the intersection of policy research and advocacy, her previous work has spanned across the development, education, and health sectors. Curious about exploring social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) strategies, she is especially passionate about education and gender issues. With TV as a constant companion since childhood, true crime and horror are her comfort watch. Outside of work, she loves reading, writing, and singing.

mayurpankhi.choudhury@civicstudios.com

Team

Mitali Adhikari

Manager – Impact & Partnerships

Mitali Adhikari is Manager - Impact & Partnerships at Civic Studios, working at the intersection of research, storytelling, and social impact. Her work spans translating research into stories, designing impact campaigns, evaluating impact, and building partnerships. A former Teach For India Fellow, her work with young people and educators shaped her belief in making complex issues accessible and inclusive, and in the power of storytelling to empower people to act. Outside work, Mitali enjoys crime podcasts, obscure trivia, diving, and trying to keep her plants alive.

mitali.adhikari@civicstudios.com

Team

Naman Upadhyaya

Marketing Manager

Naman is Marketing Manager at Civic Studios, bringing over 9 years of experience in content strategy and marketing. A former Radio Jockey turned marketer, he combines a natural flair for storytelling with sharp strategic thinking, honed through his journey from broadcast to brand building. Naman has conceptualized and executed high-impact campaigns for leading names such as Red Chillies Entertainment, RSVP Movies, and Samsung, delivering creative work that resonates with audiences at scale. Beyond his professional pursuits, Naman is a trained Carnatic Classical vocalist and an avid movie enthusiast. An out-and-out extrovert, he brings the same energy and passion to every collaboration as he does to the stage.

naman.upadhyaya@civicstudios.com

Team

Narad Kumar Shah

Office Assistant

Narad is the Office Assistant at Civic Studios in our Mumbai office. He started his career in exporting food grains from Bihar to Nepal from the years 1998 to 2005. In 2006, he came to Mumbai and started working as a production spot boy in the film & television industry. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his kids.

Team

Shalaka Pathak

Business and Partnerships Associate

Shalaka is a Business and Partnerships Associate at Civic Studios. With 2+ years across international organisations and grassroots NGOs, she specialises in partnership development and stakeholder engagement at the intersection of humanitarian and climate action. She believes real change requires understanding the system, finding its cracks, and following the thread back to people. Outside of work, she enjoys swimming, horse riding, reading, and curating evenings with friends, and deeply convinced the more you put yourself out there, the more you find out.

shalaka.pathak@civicstudios.com

Team

Shivanshu Nirupam

Creative Producer

Shivanshu is a Creative Producer at Civic Studios. With over 10 years in the entertainment industry, he has worked across directing, writing, producing, and journalism—collaborating with creators like Nitya Mehra, Vijay Maurya, and Nishikant Kamat. A literature graduate from Delhi University with a journalism degree from XIC, Shivanshu is drawn to research-led storytelling and sharp visual narratives. When not deep in scripts or strategy decks, he enjoys experimenting with short-form visual storytelling, dissecting market trends, and diving into meaningful conversations.

shivanshu.nirupam@civicstudios.com

Team

Shrey Jain

Senior Creative Producer

Shrey Jain is a Senior Creative Producer at Civic Studios. With a little over 5 years in the media business, he has previously worked on shows like Scam 1992 and Scam 2003 at Applause Entertainment. His proficiency lies in developing and producing original concepts, international formats and book adaptations, while establishing strong partnership with creative partners to source and commission content. An alumnus of AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, Shrey wants to make thought- provoking, intelligent and entertaining content. Outside work, Shrey likes reading, writing, and playing video and board games.

shrey.jain@civicstudios.com

Team

Shruti Sundaresan

Senior Lead – Climate Communications & Partnerships

Shruti is Senior Lead – Climate Communications & Partnerships at Civic Studios, with 7+ years of experience bridging science and society through innovative storytelling and public engagement. She has led science festivals across the UK, Malta, the UAE, and India. Previously worked with FAST India, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and organisations including Superheroes Against Superbugs and the Science Journalists Association of India. Outside work, she enjoys gardening, travelling, trekking, running, and swimming.

shruti.sundaresan@civicstudios.com